


149 - Hiking & Camping with Catfish

by storiesaboutvan



Category: Catfish and the Bottlemen (Band)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 10:20:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17405123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storiesaboutvan/pseuds/storiesaboutvan
Summary: Filling the prompts “one where the reader goes on like a hike or something with the band and they’re a bit unfit and you make fun of them and van gets a bit salty and you have to cheer him up?” from @skamdalised , “camping with van and the boys?” and “Cute fluffy summery Van? Like he wants the reader to teach him how to make daisy chains and him getting all frustrated because he can’t do it right and her making him a flower crown and shit” from anonymous x2.





	149 - Hiking & Camping with Catfish

Camilla stood in the middle of the living room with her hands on her hips. Never seeing her so serious, you exchanged a look with Van.

"You want us… to… voluntarily exercise?" Bondy asked, genuinely confused.

"The hike isn't the point. It's not even that bad. We've done it heaps of times before," she said.

"Yeah. You and Bob have done. You're both, like, fit, and stuff," Benji replied.

"Look. It's his birthday. He doesn't want a party or anything, but I think he'd like something. He loves you guys and you only really hang out when it's about the band and I think this will be fun. We can camp a couple of nights along the trail and the views are amazing. The weather should warm up by then. Please? For Bob?" she asked again.

The proposal was that for Bob's birthday you'd hike up some mountain and camp. The obvious apprehension the boys felt was that it seemed like a lot of physical exercise for people that smoked multiple packets of cigarettes a day and did not wake up at dawn to go for a run. Cam - Bob's girlfriend of many years - never asked for much. The fact that she was willing to all but beg was enough to get people on side. She sweetened the deal by saying she'd supply weed, and all girlfriends were invited.

"Dani might love Bob, but she will not go camping," Benji laughed. Bondy and Larry stayed quiet, single.

"I'm in," you said, the first to commit. "Van is too,"

"I am?" he asked in The Surprised Tone.

"Where I go-" you started,

"I go," he finished. Bondy threw a pillow across the room at you.

"Gross. I don't want to be trapped with them two for a whole weekend," he said. "Or you and Bob,"

"Please?" she begged again.

"I'm in," Larry said. Camilla clapped and looked at Benji and Bondy. They were sitting side by side. Benji's head rolled back and he looked at Bondy, who shrugged. He nodded at Camilla for both of them. She jumped with joy.

…

When you met up with everyone at the bottom of the mountain, it became clear who had thought it through and who had not. Benji and Bondy were wearing black skinny jeans still. Not wanting to make anyone angry, nobody told them they were idiots. But they were. As they followed the pack up the trail, they were the first to break out in a sweat. Bob and Camilla were already way ahead, heart rates hardly elevated. You walked between Larry and Van. They were thankful you had the foresight to take them shopping for appropriate clothes. They looked way weird in their activewear, but they were cool and comfortable and chattered happily across you.

The first day was easy. The path was used regularly by joggers and families. Nothing too strenuous. The campsite was illuminated by huge solar powered flood lights, and the ground was covered in thick grass. Bob, Benji and Larry set up the two tents. You were surprised at how large they were, considering they'd folded up small enough to be carried on backs. Camilla and Bondy started to set up the fire pit, and she instructed you and Van to go find wood.

Alone for the first time all day, Van pulled you close and kissed you hard. The sun was beginning to set, and the air was warm. There was a breeze that carried all the clean smells of the forest. Van pushed you up against a tree, and his hands slipped under your shirt. You grinned into his mouth and could feel your legs go shaky and your body start to tingle. He pressed himself against you, and you let him leave bruises along your collarbones. He was getting hard, but the sky was turning black fast.

"Van, babe, we have to find firewood before it gets dark," you told him between heavy breaths. He nodded into you but made no effort to move away. "Van, Cam will kill us," you whined. His hand was on your thigh, edging up. You threaded your fingers through his hair and pulled him away. He yelped, then grinned. "Come on," you said and walked away. Your legs felt like jelly, and Van held his hands on your hips to steady your awkward walking. Back at the campsite, you delivered what you'd found to the others in three trips.

After bonfire cooked food and spooky urban legends, you sang Happy Birthday to a blushing Bob and told all the best stories about him. He squirmed with the attention, but the love his friends had for him was so evident that he couldn't help but feel happier than ever before. Just after midnight, you, Van and Larry retired to one tent. The others would share the second, but Bob and Camilla stayed up late.

…

The trail on day two was a lot more difficult to climb. It was a sharper incline, and the path was rockier. There was significantly less chatter, and you laughed at how many breaks the guys demanded.

"This is a joke," you said as they collapsed on the ground. Waving Bob and Cam off in the distance, yelling you'd catch up, you poured water into Van's mouth. "You're all so unfit. How do you not die on stage?"

"I… don't… go… on… stage," Larry replied between dying breaths.

"Look, I don't exercise any more than you guys. I honestly think it's all the smoking," you told them. '

"Fuck off, Y/N," Bondy said with what little energy he had. His eyes closed and you pulled out a small towel and wiped the sweat from his face for him.

"Don't tell my girlfriend to fuck off," Van said a minute later. The greatest delayed reaction of all time.

When they could sit, they drank more water, then started up the trail again. Benji followed behind Larry pushing him along every now and then. You wanted to hold Van's hand but he wouldn’t let you.

"Too sweaty," he whined.

Pouting, you said, "You really do have to quit smoking,"

"Yep,"

"And maybe we should exercise more. This is ridiculous,"

"Okay. I get it. I'm unfit. I'm dying. You hate me," Van said, joking but still salty.

"Don't get angry at me!" you laughed.

"You made us come,"

"What?! It's Bob's birthday! This is what he wanted. I didn't do anything,"

"You're not helping," Van grumbled. You threw the small towel at him and marched on ahead. "Wait! Babe! I'm sorry! Come back! Don't leave me!" You shot him a look over your shoulder as you past Larry and Benji. You finished the trail beside Bondy.

It was mid-afternoon as you arrived at the second camping site. One of the tents was already set up, but the birthday-celebrating lovebirds were nowhere to be seen. You directed the guys as they set up the second tent, then passed out on the ground. After making them sandwiches, you announced you were going to check out the views on the other side of the site. Van forced himself off the ground to follow you.

On a bench overlooking the edge of the mountain, you sat side by side and ate. He was still moody about you calling him (very justly) unfit, and you were still amused that he was being so childish. Therefore, the conversation was limited. The sun appeared from behind clouds and the entire landscape around you became brightly lit with life. You could hear bees doing their important work, and a weird sound in the distance that was probably Larry's reaction to something Bondy was doing to him. The air smelled like pine and grass and a sweetness you couldn't identify. You took off your sneakers and the grass was warm. Van copied you, and you watched him wriggle his toes.

"Are you angry at me?" he asked.

"Are you angry at me?" you countered. He half shrugged, half shook his head. "Are you a bit salty, but you don't want to be, but you are anyway? Because you're exhausted?" You knew him well. He nodded and looked over at you. "Oh, Van," you laughed and got off the bench. You stood between his legs and let him hug you from his sitting position. He rested his head on your stomach and breathed you in. "Wanna come with me to find wildflowers?"

You walked barefoot back to camp and left your shoes there. Off the trail, the grass was soft and clean; infrequently stood on by humans. Carrying bottles of water and holding hands, you explored the surrounding area with Van. There was a clearing that was shimmering with dots of shade and sunlight, filtering in through the overhead trees. There was a joke to be made about Bella's meadow from Twilight, but Van hadn't read the book or seen the movie. The joke was not made.

Van sat on the grass, leaning back on his hands. He watched as you weaved through the bushes around him, collecting pieces of nature. "Do you know how to make daisy chains?" you asked him.

"No. Teach me?"

"I can just make you one? Turn it into a necklace or crown or something," you offered, walking back and sitting in front of him. He sat up and mirrored your cross-legged position.

"I want to learn so I can make them for our kids in summer," he said, looking through your found treasures. He picked some of his favourite flowers, and you showed him how to use a nail to carefully make a slit in the stem, then thread the next flower's stem through that. Van's chain kept breaking. He dropped the flowers and huffed. "I can't do this,"

"Babe, you can. You just have to be more gentle with them. They're only little soft flowers. You have to be careful," you said, picking his flowers back up.

"Like you,"

"Like me what?"

"You're a little soft flower that I have to be careful with," he said, smiling. You grinned and leant across the pile of flowers and leaves to kiss him.

"Come on. Try again." As gentle as he touched you, Van proceeded to make a daisy chain. You combined his with yours and it made a long necklace. Van put it around your neck and gave you the thumbs up. "Okay. Now we'll make something for you." You twisted pliable twigs together, braiding where you could. A leafy crown was formed, and you lowered it onto Van's head in an act like a queen would make in a knighting ceremony. "You're beautiful," you told him when he sat up and posed.

“I know.”

You stayed in the clearing for as long as the sun was out. Van laid back on the grass, and you rested your head on his chest. His fingers raked through your hair and you were warm and sleepy and happy. It was the best nap of your life.

"Oh!" Camilla said as she appeared from behind a tree. She was startled to find you and Van asleep on the ground. Bob came crashing through the trees behind her. They were both rosy cheeked and messy haired. Suspicious. You and Van sat up. "Hi, guys," she said.

"Hey, Cam, Sideshow. What's up?" Van replied.

"Nothing. Heading back to camp. You guys made flower crowns!" Camilla replied.

"And a daisy chain," Van said as he straightened out your floral necklace.

Van gave you a piggyback ride to camp, following Bob and Camilla. They shared hushed whispers and giggled. You knew that giggle. Very suspicious.

The second night of camping involved alcohol, weed, and melted marshmallows. You were the best at roasting them so they had that crispy coating, without the burning. You sat side by side with Larry and spent fifteen minutes rotating the pink and white puffs for people. Head rested on Larry's shoulder, you watched your friends happily try to scare each other with more incoherent urban legends.

Before bed, you all sang Happy Birthday a second time. Bob beamed.

…

Hiking down a mountain is harder than up, in many ways. For one, it takes more thigh muscle to stop the momentum. You watched as Bondy and Van had races down. Terrified one of them would get hurt, you had to bribe them to stop with kisses.

"You can't kiss him!" Van yelled back at you from down the track.

"I can do whatever I want, Ryan. Stop fuckin' running!"

The both stopped, panting. When the rest of you caught up to them, Van bundled you up in a sweaty hug. You squealed. "You said kisses?!" he questioned.

"Postponed kisses. Later. When you're clean,"

"And me," Bondy said, just to confirm. You looked at him and nodded.

"Of course you too." You could feel Van shake his head from where it was pressed into your shoulder blade. You laughed and pulled him along.

It took a couple of hours to get back to the cars. Everything loaded up and ready to go, you stood in a circle.

"Um… Thank you? For coming. I know this isn't really your thing, any of you, so thank you," Bob said. Your heart melted, and you looked at Cam. She was holding his hand; the love was radiating off her.

"Nah, mate. We love ya to bits. Course we'd do this," Van said and crossed the circle to hug Bob. The sentiment was shared and hugs were exchanged. You waved Bob and Camilla off, then piled into the car. Bondy drove, Benji had shotgun. You sat between Larry and Van.

"Home?" Bondy asked.

"Home," you all agreed.


End file.
